Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Garlicky marinated shrimp threaded on skewers and grilled in minutes.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Marinate: Toss the shrimp with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper; rest 10 minutes.
- 2
Skewer: Thread the shrimp onto skewers (soak wooden ones in water first).
- 3
Heat the Grill: Get the grill medium-high.
- 4
Grill: Cook the skewers 2 minutes per side until pink and lightly charred — don't overcook.
- 5
Garnish: Scatter with parsley and a squeeze more lemon.
- 6
Serve: Serve with rice, grilled corn, or a salad.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
67/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving315
Calories
48 g
Protein
0 g
Carbs
14 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Grilled shrimp on skewers is a Gulf Coast and Lowcountry cookout favorite, drawing on the abundant shrimp of the Southern coastline and a bright lemon-garlic marinade that suits fast, hot grilling. Threading the shrimp on skewers comes from the practical need to turn many small pieces at once over live fire.
Listahan note
This version keeps the marinade short at 10 minutes so the lemon flavors without starting to cure the shrimp, then grills just 2 minutes per side because overcooked shrimp turn rubbery fast.
Technique cues
- Limit the marinade to 10 minutes; the lemon's acid will begin to firm and toughen the shrimp like a ceviche if it sits much longer.
- Soaking wooden skewers in water first keeps them from burning through before the shrimp are done.
- Two minutes per side is the whole window; shrimp are done the moment they turn pink and opaque and curl into a loose C, and seconds more makes them rubbery.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Soak the wooden skewers and heat the grill while the shrimp take their 10-minute marinade.
- Make-ahead
- Mix the marinade ahead, but only add the shrimp 10 minutes before grilling to avoid curing them.
- Leftover move
- Slide leftover shrimp off the skewers into a cold pasta salad or a shrimp roll.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Marinate in a zip-top bag so there is no bowl to wash, just toss the bag.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Main protein
Purpose: Large shrimp hold up to skewering and grilling without overcooking before they char.
Handling: Pat dry after peeling and deveining so the marinade clings and they sear rather than steam.
Adaptation: Sea scallops can take the same marinade and quick grill, though they need a touch longer per side.
lemon juice
Acid
Purpose: It brightens the shrimp and balances the olive oil and garlic.
Handling: Squeeze fresh and add at marinating time, plus a final squeeze after grilling.
Adaptation: Lime juice works for a slightly sharper, more tropical edge.
garlic, minced
Aromatic anchor
Purpose: Minced garlic clings to the shrimp and chars lightly on the grill for savory depth.
Handling: Mince fine so it coats evenly and does not fall off the skewers.
Adaptation: Garlic powder works in the marinade but loses the fresh char-garlic note.
paprika
Color and warmth
Purpose: It tints the shrimp a warm red-orange and adds a mild sweet-pepper note.
Handling: Toss it into the marinade so it coats every shrimp.
Adaptation: Smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne adds smoke or heat respectively.
Technique notes
- Thread the shrimp through both the head and tail end so they lie flat and cook evenly on the skewer.
- Leave a little space between shrimp so the grill heat reaches all sides for an even char.
- Pull them at pink and just-opaque; carryover heat finishes them off the fire.
Ingredient swaps
- Shellfish-allergen note
- This dish is built on shrimp, a shellfish; for an allergy-safe version skewer firm fish like swordfish or chunks of chicken with the same marinade and adjust grill time up.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Season lightly and let the lemon and garlic carry the flavor instead of salt.
Serve alongside
- Dirty rice
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Cucumber and tomato salad
- Garlic bread
- Crisp white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
- Cold light lager
- Lemonade
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooked shrimp off the skewers up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently in a warm skillet for a minute or eat cold, since reheating risks toughening them.
- Freezing cooked shrimp is not recommended as the texture turns rubbery on thaw.
Equipment
- Wooden or metal skewers
- Grill or grill pan
- Tongs
- Zip-top bag for marinating
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